BOSTON and WASHINGTON, June 24, 2021 /CSRwire/ - The pandemic, the economic downturn, and racial justice movement are transforming corporate social responsibility (CSR) like never before. Amid the impassioned cries to end systemic racism, new research jointly commissioned by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) and Rocket Social Impact reveals 64% of CSR leaders say racial justice is a new long-term CSR priority, with nearly half (45%) reporting increased funding and 79% reporting increased CSR integration with company diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Further, 62% of CSR leaders polled indicate that they have added a racial equity lens to philanthropic funding decisions within their current focus areas. More than half (53%) of businesses are funding new nonprofits with a racial-equity mission; and one-in-four businesses (24%) are prioritizing support of BIPOC-led organizations.
According to Carolyn Berkowitz, CEO, ACCP, “The events of 2020 have forever changed corporations and how they view their responsibility to society. These survey findings show that advancing racial equity will remain a corporate priority for the long-term. Companies are infusing racial equity into existing initiatives as well as their future strategies, investments, and approaches to measuring impact.”